environmenthaliburton.ca/test/id91_m.htm -
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Published on: 9/21/2004
Last Visited: 7/2/2009
When Steve Payne, MNR media relations, was asked if any alternatives to closure had been examined such as addressing the above issues, he said no.
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All of the Times' calls for information regarding the closure are being directed to Steve Payne, the MNR's senior communications officer, regardless of which ministry or department the Times has contacted.
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The following is an exerpt from the conversation between Payne and this reporter.
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Payne - I'm not sure what I can tell that I didn't tell you yesterday.
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Payne - Someone from your paper was.
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Payne - It was someone from Haliburton, I'm sorry maybe I've confused names.
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Payne - The decision has been made to close the centre.
Loucks - Prior to the decision being made...
Payne - The centre's not part of our core functions.
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[All calls to the Minister are referred to Payne and the Minister's office says Ramsay is not available.]
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Payne - I don't have those exact numbers.
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Payne - There are several other facilities around the province that can be used, that are not solely dedicated to training. [The MNR has been referring to the Frost Centre solely as a training facility.]
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Payne - There are a lot of other facilities in your area that do education: Haliburton Forest, Kandalore, Kinark, the YMCA Wanakita.
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Payne - The centre is not one of the core functions of the Ministry.
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Payne - I can't comment on that.
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Payne - The summer is one of the slower periods.
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Payne says the MNR is spending $1.2 million annually to operate the Frost Centre; however numbers obtained from Scott's office suggest that in 2002/03 the actual expenditure was $1.1 million.
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Office, (416) 314-2212; Steve Payne, Ministry of Natural Resources,